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For five games, I have tried to pretend like I care about the National League. I do not. Sure, I vaguely want the Cardinals to lose, because they annoy me with the way they fluked into two World Series titles in recent years by playing a team that basically laid over in front of them and died. I mean, come on, if Nelson Cruz wasn't terrible in the field, if the Rangers didn't choke, there's nothing about the Cardinals success to be remarkable. This is their magic: the teams they play start to suck, and they get the credit.
But I don't care, really. Pitchers batting? Whatever. Double switches? Whatever. They play boring baseball and it sucks and I'll only tepidly root for one of these teams to beat the Red Sox, if that becomes necessary. My heart won't be in it.
Clayton Kershaw is pretty good, though. So that is worth paying attention to.
Albert Pujols was on the Cardinals World Series Champion team in 2011. He left and the draft pick they got in compensation became Michael Wacha, who now pitches in the 2013 playoffs. I'm just saying: that ain't right. But I'm also jealous, because why can't the Orioles do that with any of their actual top of the first round draft picks?